The Monument to Soviet Tank Crews (Czech: Památník sovětských tankistů) was a World War II memorial located in Prague.[1] It is also known as the Pink Tank because it was controversially painted pink in 1991, first by installation artist David Černý and a second time by members of parliament in protest at his arrest.
The monument was erected in Kinsky Square (Náměstí Kinských) in the Smíchov district of Prague, and was dedicated on 29 July 1945, by Soviet General Ivan Konev and municipal representatives. The tank rested on a massive five-metre stone pedestal, its barrel pointing westwards. It was built to commemorate the arrival of Konev's 1st Ukrainian Front, namely the Fourth Tank Army led by Lelyushenko, on 9 May 1945, ending the German occupation of Prague. It was originally intended to represent Lt I. G. Goncharenko's T-34-85 medium tank of the 63rd Tank Brigade, the first tank to enter Prague in May 1945 and subsequently knocked out in the street fighting. However, the monument was an IS-2m heavy tank instead of a T-34, and its turret was labelled 23 whereas Goncharenko's tank had borne the tactical marking I-24.[2][3]
Following the communist coup of 1948, the monument was elevated to the status of Cultural Monument,[4] commemorating the liberation of Prague by the Red Army, and the square was renamed Soviet Tank Square.
Controversy and removalEdit
"Pink" Soviet tank "Joseph Stalin" formerly as No. 23 now in Lešany military museum
After the 1989 Velvet Revolution and the end of communist censorship, the legacy of the tank was openly discussed. For many citizens, the tank symbolised the Soviet occupation that ended the Prague Spring in 1968 and the subsequent permanent installation of Soviet military units, rather than the events of World War II. Popular local lore noted that the number 23 painted on the tank's turret was indicative of the year of the Soviet invasion (1945 + 23 = 1968). In February 1991, historian Pavel Bělina argued that there were "neither moral nor historical grounds" for preserving the monument.[5]
The Pink Tank by Černý on the Vltava river, 24 June 2011The Tank on the Vltava, showing the finger
On the night of 27/28 April 1991, art student David Černý and friends painted the tank pink and erected a large finger suggesting an obscene gesture on its turret, signing the work "David Černý and the Neostunners". Černý was arrested under an often-abused law concerning "hooliganism", and after an official protest by the Soviet government, the tank was re-painted green in time for the anniversary. However, fifteen members of the newly elected parliaments from Civic Forum and Public Against Violence took advantage of their official immunity and painted the tank back to pink on 16 May in protest against Černý's arrest.[6] The cultural monument status was abolished, Černý was released, and the tank was removed after being repeatedly painted green, then pink again, a few more times. The tank is now located at Military Museum Lešany near Týnec nad Sázavou, about 20 kilometres south of Prague.
On 17 October 2002, a fountain called Propadliště času ("Trapdoor of Time") was installed in the spot the tank formerly occupied.
Pink tank hull with a white invasion stripe on Kinsky SquareThe fountain Propadliště času on the site of the monument
In 2004, a CowParade was held in Prague. One of the fibreglass cows was painted khaki by Roman Týc and provided with five-pointed red stars and white numbers 23 on both flanks, with the intention to paint it pink later on. From May to September 2004, the cow named "Romeo 23" was placed on Kinsky Square. On 8 July, one day before the planned happening when the cow was to be painted pink, two students cut the star and number from the cow's side.
Černý later proposed a new statue: a pink tank buried three-quarters in the ground. On 21 August 2008, the pink hull of a tank was unofficially installed on the spot. It has a white invasion stripe, the same as Soviet tanks that entered Czechoslovakia in 1968. According to Černý, the statue should draw attention to contemporary politics of Russia.[7] After strong vocal objections from Prime Minister Miloš Zeman and Russian Ambassador Vasili Yakovlev, municipal representatives rejected the project. The statue was finally installed at Lázně Bohdaneč, a spa resort where occupying Soviet troops were located until the early 1990s (location: 50°4′9.426″N15°40′58.42″E / 50.06928500°N 15.6828944°E / 50.06928500; 15.6828944).
On 20 June 2011, the Pink Tank temporarily returned to Prague as part of a celebration of the 20th anniversary of the withdrawal of Soviet occupation forces.[8] Its return included the erect middle finger, and the entire piece was placed on a barge on the Vltava river and displayed near the Charles Bridge until 1 July 2012.
^. Archived from the original on 2006-07-21. Retrieved 2006-03-25.
^Wright, Patrick (25 July 1991). (PDF). The Guardian. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 July 2011. Retrieved 15 April 2017.
^Jana Záhorková, “Černý vrátil Praze růžový tank, tentokrát s okupačním pruhem”, iDnes.cz, 21 August 2008.
^. www.rp.pl. Archived from the original on 2012-10-04.
BibliographyEdit
Wright, Patrick (2001). Tank: The Progress of a Monstrous War Machine, p. 379. Viking Adult. ISBN0-670-03070-8.
Zaloga, Steven J., Jim Kinnear (1996 [2004]). T-34-85 Medium Tank 1944–94, pp. 42–43. Oxford: Osprey Publishing. ISBN1-85532-535-7.
Zaloga, Steven J., Jim Kinnear, Andrey Aksenov & Aleksandr Koshchavtsev (1997). Soviet Tanks in Combat 1941-45: The T-28, T-34, T-34-85, and T-44 Medium Tanks, Hong Kong: Concord Publication. ISBN962-361-615-5.
"Pink tank" returns to Prague, floating on river
External linksEdit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Smíchovský tank.
The complicated history of Prague's Tank No. 23, article on Radio Prague web site, including photos of the original memorial, the pink tank, and of David Černý
Actions: Tank 91, Artwork: Sochy: Tank: Lešany – photos at davidcerny.cz
Marking Memory: Ambiguity and Amnesia in the Monument to Soviet Tank Crews in Prague
October 24, 2023
monument, soviet, tank, crews, pink, tank, redirects, here, other, uses, pink, tank, disambiguation, czech, památník, sovětských, tankistů, world, memorial, located, prague, also, known, pink, tank, because, controversially, painted, pink, 1991, first, install. Pink Tank redirects here For other uses see Pink Tank disambiguation The Monument to Soviet Tank Crews Czech Pamatnik sovetskych tankistu was a World War II memorial located in Prague 1 It is also known as the Pink Tank because it was controversially painted pink in 1991 first by installation artist David Cerny and a second time by members of parliament in protest at his arrest The monument in 1961The original location of the monument was 50 4 43 8 N 14 24 16 6 E 50 078833 N 14 404611 E 50 078833 14 404611 Contents 1 The monument 2 Controversy and removal 3 See also 4 References 5 Bibliography 6 External linksThe monument Edit nbsp The monument depicted on a 1951 USSR stampThe monument was erected in Kinsky Square Namesti Kinskych in the Smichov district of Prague and was dedicated on 29 July 1945 by Soviet General Ivan Konev and municipal representatives The tank rested on a massive five metre stone pedestal its barrel pointing westwards It was built to commemorate the arrival of Konev s 1st Ukrainian Front namely the Fourth Tank Army led by Lelyushenko on 9 May 1945 ending the German occupation of Prague It was originally intended to represent Lt I G Goncharenko s T 34 85 medium tank of the 63rd Tank Brigade the first tank to enter Prague in May 1945 and subsequently knocked out in the street fighting However the monument was an IS 2m heavy tank instead of a T 34 and its turret was labelled 23 whereas Goncharenko s tank had borne the tactical marking I 24 2 3 Following the communist coup of 1948 the monument was elevated to the status of Cultural Monument 4 commemorating the liberation of Prague by the Red Army and the square was renamed Soviet Tank Square Controversy and removal Edit nbsp Pink Soviet tank Joseph Stalin formerly as No 23 now in Lesany military museumAfter the 1989 Velvet Revolution and the end of communist censorship the legacy of the tank was openly discussed For many citizens the tank symbolised the Soviet occupation that ended the Prague Spring in 1968 and the subsequent permanent installation of Soviet military units rather than the events of World War II Popular local lore noted that the number 23 painted on the tank s turret was indicative of the year of the Soviet invasion 1945 23 1968 In February 1991 historian Pavel Belina argued that there were neither moral nor historical grounds for preserving the monument 5 nbsp The Pink Tank by Cerny on the Vltava river 24 June 2011 nbsp The Tank on the Vltava showing the fingerOn the night of 27 28 April 1991 art student David Cerny and friends painted the tank pink and erected a large finger suggesting an obscene gesture on its turret signing the work David Cerny and the Neostunners Cerny was arrested under an often abused law concerning hooliganism and after an official protest by the Soviet government the tank was re painted green in time for the anniversary However fifteen members of the newly elected parliaments from Civic Forum and Public Against Violence took advantage of their official immunity and painted the tank back to pink on 16 May in protest against Cerny s arrest 6 The cultural monument status was abolished Cerny was released and the tank was removed after being repeatedly painted green then pink again a few more times The tank is now located at Military Museum Lesany near Tynec nad Sazavou about 20 kilometres south of Prague On 17 October 2002 a fountain called Propadliste casu Trapdoor of Time was installed in the spot the tank formerly occupied nbsp Pink tank hull with a white invasion stripe on Kinsky Square nbsp The fountain Propadliste casu on the site of the monumentIn 2004 a CowParade was held in Prague One of the fibreglass cows was painted khaki by Roman Tyc and provided with five pointed red stars and white numbers 23 on both flanks with the intention to paint it pink later on From May to September 2004 the cow named Romeo 23 was placed on Kinsky Square On 8 July one day before the planned happening when the cow was to be painted pink two students cut the star and number from the cow s side Cerny later proposed a new statue a pink tank buried three quarters in the ground On 21 August 2008 the pink hull of a tank was unofficially installed on the spot It has a white invasion stripe the same as Soviet tanks that entered Czechoslovakia in 1968 According to Cerny the statue should draw attention to contemporary politics of Russia 7 After strong vocal objections from Prime Minister Milos Zeman and Russian Ambassador Vasili Yakovlev municipal representatives rejected the project The statue was finally installed at Lazne Bohdanec a spa resort where occupying Soviet troops were located until the early 1990s location 50 4 9 426 N 15 40 58 42 E 50 06928500 N 15 6828944 E 50 06928500 15 6828944 On 20 June 2011 the Pink Tank temporarily returned to Prague as part of a celebration of the 20th anniversary of the withdrawal of Soviet occupation forces 8 Its return included the erect middle finger and the entire piece was placed on a barge on the Vltava river and displayed near the Charles Bridge until 1 July 2012 See also EditMandela Way T 34 Tank Brotherhood sculpture References Edit Government of the Czech Republic Entropa Stereotypes Are Barriers to be Demolished 12 January 2009 Zaloga 1996 pp 42 43 pl A2 VIRTUAL FIGHTERS Forum pro priznivce leteckych i pozemnich simulatoru a vojenske historie Archived from the original on 2007 10 31 Retrieved 2009 02 20 Pomnik sovetskych osvoboditelu Pamatkovy katalog DaS 01 2005 d jiny a v ci Archived from the original on 2006 07 21 Retrieved 2006 03 25 Wright Patrick 25 July 1991 Why a pink tank made Prague see red by Patrick Wright first published in the Guardian 25 July 1991 PDF The Guardian Archived from the original PDF on 27 July 2011 Retrieved 15 April 2017 Jana Zahorkova Cerny vratil Praze ruzovy tank tentokrat s okupacnim pruhem iDnes cz 21 August 2008 Rozowy czolg wrocil do Pragi rp pl www rp pl Archived from the original on 2012 10 04 Bibliography EditWright Patrick 2001 Tank The Progress of a Monstrous War Machine p 379 Viking Adult ISBN 0 670 03070 8 Zaloga Steven J Jim Kinnear 1996 2004 T 34 85 Medium Tank 1944 94 pp 42 43 Oxford Osprey Publishing ISBN 1 85532 535 7 Zaloga Steven J Jim Kinnear Andrey Aksenov amp Aleksandr Koshchavtsev 1997 Soviet Tanks in Combat 1941 45 The T 28 T 34 T 34 85 and T 44 Medium Tanks Hong Kong Concord Publication ISBN 962 361 615 5 Pink tank returns to Prague floating on riverExternal links Edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Smichovsky tank The complicated history of Prague s Tank No 23 article on Radio Prague web site including photos of the original memorial the pink tank and of David Cerny Actions Tank 91 Artwork Sochy Tank Lesany photos at davidcerny cz Marking Memory Ambiguity and Amnesia in the Monument to Soviet Tank Crews in Prague Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Monument to Soviet Tank Crews amp oldid 1174258633, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
